Paul Newman's jackets in movie "Slap Shot"

[Biff42]

Yeah, most of the 60's and the 70's leather wasn't much good, especially in the US but the downgrade of quality spread elsewhere like wildfire. 50's was hit and miss and 80's saw some good leather but then it went downhill from there, up until now.

Plasticy coating annoys me, too. I don't have a single jacket in it anymore.

Great point. I wonder what tanneries like Horween produced in the 70's? I'm sure there was still a need for cxl in shoes, but the veg tan thing has exploded in recent years it seems.

 

[Marc mndt]

but the veg tan thing has exploded in recent years it seems.

From the late 60s till they went out of business in the late 70s East West Musical Instruments used high quality vegetable tanned leather. I'm sure there were others too. Ibex, KOK? High quality low volume jacket makers.

In what sense has the 'veg tan thing' exploded? Vegetable tanned leather is nice for boutique makers who produce fancy jackets. For mass production chrome tanning is still the standard because 1) consistency 2) it's cheaper to produce 3) it's water resistant unlike vegetable tanned leather.

 

[Biff42]

From the late 60s till they went out of business in the late 70s East West Musical Instruments used high quality vegetable tanned leather. I'm sure there were others too. Ibex, KOK? High quality low volume jacket makers.

In what sense has the 'veg tan thing' exploded? Vegetable tanned leather is nice for boutique makers who produce fancy jackets. For mass production chrome tanning is still the standard because 1) consistency 2) it's cheaper to produce 3) it's water resistant unlike vegetable tanned leather.

You're right, it probably is still niche. The products I like frequently veg-tan, but that's a small piece of what's being produced.

I'd be curious to hear how Horween's sales have trended over the decades with various fads.